Some Things Don't Want to be Fixed
by XxRedxX
Summary: "My name is Lyra." Says the girl who will eventually turn his life into a living hell. "Are you the one in charge of the operation here?" One hundred Lyra/Proton drabbles.
1. Introduction

_1. Introduction_

"My name is Lyra." Says the girl who will eventually turn his life into a living hell. "Are you the one in charge of the operation here?" She's a wimpy little brat, with chocolate colored hair tied up in girlish pigtails and a ridiculously fluffy hat on top of her head. In her hand, she clutched a Pokeball, it's paint job shiny and unblemished. It was obvious she was a rookie trainer, still wet behind the ears with delusions of grandeur.

Definitely not someone he ever could have been intimidated by.

He grins at her, showing more teeth than necessary. "Maybe I am." Pulling his hat low over his emerald eyes, he takes a step closer to where the girl is standing. "Why?" Another step. "What do you want?"

The kid- Lyra- visibly pales at his advance, her brown eyes the size of dinner plates. She begins backpedaling, trying to keep a certain distance between them. "I-I," She gulps, "I want you to stop. L-leave the Slowpoke alone. You have no right to harm innocent Pokemon like that."

Of course she would want that. Little brats like her were always insufferable bleeding hearts. They just couldn't understand good business when they saw it. "You've got a lot of nerve, ordering me around like that." He said, still walking towards the girl. "Do you even know who I am?" Her back hit a large boulder, causing the girl to let out a small squeak of surprise. "The names Proton. I'm often known as the scariest and cruelest guy in Team Rocket." He stopped when they were a mere three feet away. Close enough for him to see every nervous flicker of her eyes, every hair that had messily slipped out of her pigtails. He bent over, taking no notice of her personal space. "Now, do you really think it's smart to be telling a guy like me what to do? I don't."

Her eyes widened for a moment, the look of fear on her face reaching an exquisite degree. Then she dashed to the side, away from the Executive, coming to a stop at a healthy distance away. "I don't care! You don't scare me at all!" Despite her words, the girl still fumbles with her Pokeball for a few moments, releasing a Quilava. The Pokemon looks up at his trainer with a look of confusion, before turning his attention on Proton. Seeing the man as his next opponent, the creature lets out a deep growl, the flames on it's rear and head lighting up the cave. "I'm going to stop you, no matter what it takes!"

Proton chuckles, selecting a Pokeball on his belt and releasing his Zubat. Taking down her team would be easy enough. A rookie like her wouldn't stand a chance against an Executive of Team Rocket. He grinned in anticipation, imagining the look of horror she would have on her face as he demolished her beloved Pokemon one by one.

Needless to say, he was quite surprised when she did the same to him.

* * *

_Uh, hey there! This is the first part of a series of drabbles- one hundred, to be exact- revolving around these two little weirdos. I've never done anything like this before, so please forgive me if it comes out weird. Usually I write much longer stories, but I'm trying to keep these around five hundred words each, though this may be subject to change, so don't be surprised if you find something much larger than normal. _

_Personally, I love the pairing of Proton and Lyra. It's adorable and is in dire need of more love. I'm planning on having some coherent storyline for this, so I thought it would be best if I kicked this whole thing off at their first encounter. And don't worry- Lyra's no pushover. She's just a little intimidated at the moment, though once she grows more familiar with Team Rocket, she gets a backbone.  
_

_So, yeah. I really hope you enjoy reading these little drabbles as much as I enjoy writing them. More to come soon!  
_


	2. War

_War_

Lyra wasn't the type to hold a grudge. It simply wasn't in her.

People did horrible things all the time. Sometimes, without even knowing it. That didn't mean they were bad, just misguided. Everything happened for a reason. Who was she to judge what she didn't understand? Something that looked horrible and heinous from a bystander's viewpoint could be noble and well-meaning to the person doing it. If she jumped to conclusions without getting the full story, someone could end up getting hurt for no reason. It was better to just go through life with a sunny outlook on things, not sweating the small stuff. If an individual did something she didn't agree with, then she would take the time to understand their point of view, and move on. That's what she did with Silver.

Unfortunately, Team Rocket was a different story entirely.

Truth be told, Lyra _wanted_ to understand them. But no matter how hard she tried, it was impossible for her to see their actions as anything other than horrible and selfish. She couldn't wrap her mind around why they treated Pokemon like mere tools to be used, discarded when they were no longer of any use. Perhaps it was because of the bond she shared with her team. Each time she caught a new member, Lyra was sure to ask them whether they wanted to fight for her. If they said no, then the girl would be more than happy to release them. Team Rocket didn't give their Pokemon that luxury. Once one was captured, it was essentially dooming the poor creature to a life of slavery.

Pokemon loved humans. It was why they were willing to fight so hard for their trainers, despite whatever pain it may bring them. In return, it was only natural that their master would care for them to the best of their ability. The partnership allowed both to grow together, as a team. But, for some reason, Team Rocket didn't understand that. Pokemon were objects in their eyes. And nothing Lyra said or did could change that. All she could do was try to stop them before they did any more damage.

She never intended to get involved in the fiasco at Slowpoke Well. But Kurt was so adamant about stopping them, and she didn't want him to run off alone when he had a young girl in his care. So, reluctantly, she followed him. And it was a good thing that she did, because he ended up hurting himself in the process, leaving her to take care of the villainous team alone. Sweet little Lyra would have to play the hero instead of the damsel this time around. The irony was not lost on her.

What she saw in the well was horrifying. It was her first real look at how brutal human beings could be to their beloved partners, and it changed her. After that day, she still tried to understand people who didn't agree with her, but with Team Rocket she was at a complete loss.

For the first time in her life, Lyra felt true hatred for other people. They were committing crimes that were a complete violation of the bond between human beings and Pokemon. She wanted to do anything in her power to stop them before they caused any more harm.

But, at the same time, it also gave her hope. Because she _could_ stop them. She had the power now, with her beloved team of Pokemon supporting her at every turn. With them, Lyra was able to drive Team Rocket off in Slowpoke Well, despite the fact that she was utterly terrified of the man named Proton. She didn't have to be the damsel anymore; she could play her part in this fight, and play it well.

On that day, Lyra declared war on Team Rocket. Because even a girl like her had the right to fight back against what she thought was wrong.


	3. Hero

_Hero_

It wasn't long before she became infamous among the ranks of Team Rocket. Getting kicked out of Slowpoke Well by a mere child was an embarrassment, but not a blow that affected the organization. They had already collected more than enough tails by the time the brat showed up. And while the memory of his loss to the girl was enough to make Proton see red- something that, to be fair, really wasn't that difficult- no further actions were taken against her. She was just one kid who had gotten lucky. As long as she didn't let her victory get to her head and cause her to pull something stupid, they were willing to leave her alone.

But she just had to play the hero, didn't she?

When he first heard of her exploits at the Lake of Rage, Proton shrugged them off as simple rumors and nothing more. The girl he met was a rookie who could barely stand on her own two feet. Her win was a fluke. The thought of such a weak girl taming a rampaging Gyarados was preposterous, regardless of what the Grunts said.

When she decided to storm their hideout in Mahogany with the mysterious dragon-type user, it became impossible to deny her involvement. Using the red Gyarados, the petite girl tore through their Grunts as if they were made of tissue paper. Even his fellow Executives couldn't stop the pigtailed trainer. She seemed determined to disrupt their plans at every turn. Each time she triumphed over Team Rocket, Proton could feel the knotted ball of rage in the pit of his stomach grow tighter and tighter.

It was all his fault. If only he had finished her off back in Slowpoke Well, when she was still vulnerable. It would have been so simple. All he needed to do was wrap his hands around her skinny little neck and squeeze the life out of her. He had done it before. But instead, he was stupid, and decided it would have been more fun if he played with his food first. As a result, the brat developed a hero-complex.

She would be heading to the Radio Tower soon. No doubt her compulsive need to meddle in their business would draw her in like a bee to honey. That was fine. Proton was ready. He was looking forward to it, actually. There would be no more games this time around. He would do what he should have done back in the well.

Lyra would regret trying to play the hero. Proton would make sure of that.


	4. Tower

_Tower_

Lyra wanted to be sneaky. Being the hero was all fine and dandy, but not when it lead to more violence. She thought blending in with the Team Rocket uniform was a pretty clever idea. The Grunts didn't seem to recognize her, but at the same time weren't willing to call her out as an imposter, either. Lyra had a feeling they didn't really know the members of their organization that well, and she fully intended to use it to her advantage.

Or, at least she did, until Silver showed up and decided to screw with her plans. That was kind of a bummer. He didn't even give her a chance to explain before blowing her cover. However, it was difficult for the girl to stay angry at her redheaded rival, considering his immense dislike of the villainous team- and her complete inability to hold a grudge in general.

She still made a note to get back at him for stripping her of the uniform right in the middle of the Radio Tower lobby, though. Grudge or not, there were some things a man should never do to a lady without her permission, and that was one of them.

Getting back at her rival would have to wait, however. The petite trainer still had a job to do, and it seemed as if no one else was willing to do it in her place.

She began navigating her way through the tower, taking down any Grunts that attempted to stop her along the way. They barely put a scratch on her beloved team of Pokemon. Which was good. They would need to conserve their strength for the fight ahead. Lyra had a feeling it was going to be a long one.

Unfortunately, she hadn't the slightest idea where she was supposed to be going, or even where to begin. Chasing out Team Rocket would be a nice start, but no matter how much she wanted to, that would take time. Saving the hostages would probably be the smartest choice. That way, even if she failed and the villainous organization kept their hold on the Radio Tower, innocent people would be able to escape instead of getting caught in the crossfire.

And what better way to start with freeing the most important hostage of all? If Lyra was able to get the Director, it would probably be a major blow to whatever they were planning. Plus, he probably had all sorts of information she could find useful. It was a win-win situation.

With a clear goal now in her mind, Lyra began making her way over to the nearest staircase. If she just kept going up, she was bound to find his office somewhere. Important people usually had their offices on the higher floors, right? Of course, there was a good chance Team Rocket could have moved the Director by then, but it was still worth a look.

A few Grunts try to stop her along the way, but they quickly folded under the petite girl's might. She gave up trying to be stealthy, instead just doing her best to reach her destination as quickly as possible.

When she finally got to the Director's office, she was vaguely surprised to see him sitting casually in his chair. Lyra had expected Team Rocket to at least invest in a little security for their most important hostage. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly realized something was wrong when he began blurting out orders to surrender over the intercom, oblivious to the girl's presence.

When she drew closer, Lyra realized the man before her was not the one she was looking for. No matter. Once she defeated him, he helped her all the same.


	5. Venom

_Venom_

He had improved, but not by much. Definitely not enough to cause her any problems, anyways. Though she didn't want to let her guard down, the members of Team Rocket were rather lacking in firepower. Perhaps she was simply too strong for them, or maybe it was because the team had been reduced to a shadow of it's former glory. Either way, Lyra didn't have a single bit of trouble tearing her way through their ranks. Not even the Executives could stand up to her.

Proton was no exception.

And yet he was still somehow giving her trouble.

It wasn't that his Pokemon were particularity strong. Because they weren't. She had faced dozens of Golbat and Weezing before. She barely had to command her own team to do anything; they already knew how to ensure a flawless victory.

Eventually she decided it was something to do with the man himself. Specifically, his eyes.

They were filled with venom.

Not literally, obviously, though that would be quite ironic considering his Pokemon were all of the poison type. It was a sort of deep-seated anger. Nothing short of pure hatred. Lyra had a hunch that if her own team wasn't standing in the way, he would have had no problem closing the distance between them and wrapping his hands around her fragile throat.

It wasn't something Lyra was accustomed to, obviously.

On her journey she had met many people on both ends of the spectrum, light and dark. She hated giving anyone a definite label of "good" or "evil." People were flawed. She understood that. But no one was purely one thing. They were all painted in a wide variety of grays, and that was fine. Even Lyra herself couldn't claim to be entirely pure. She was only human, after all.

Proton, however, was the most spiteful, poisonous person she had come across. She wasn't exactly sure how she had come to this conclusion, considering how the majority of their interactions- a grand total of two- consisted of a few exchanges of witty banter before she completely and utterly crushed him. Perhaps it was something about his body language, or that venomous look in his eyes. How every word that left his lips was utterly dripping with contempt, murderous loathing and thinly-veiled threats.

Lyra wasn't accustomed to having someone hate her with every fiber of their being. It made her quite sad, actually.

She knew he was by no means a nice person. He had introduced himself as the supposed "cruelest member of Team Rocket," after all. But the fact that one person could be filled with so much pent-up hatred still managed to tug at her heartstrings a bit.

She wanted to do something, anything, to help the man. To whisk away all of his rage and let something healthier take it's place. But Lyra wasn't a stupid girl. She knew that sort of thing only existed in fairy tales. There was nothing she could do to help him. If he wanted to change, then he had to do it because he wanted to. Not because she forced him to do so.

And yet, when she inevitably won, Lyra couldn't help but let her gaze wander as she continued on her mission. His jaw was clenched, his gaze directed towards the ground. He refused to make any sort of eye-contact with her, or to acknowledge her presence in general. She swore she could hear the sound of his teeth grinding, as well.

Despite her resolve to remain distant, it still hurt.


	6. Light

_Quick note, this one is supposed to be read as if each paragraph is a snippet of it's own separate story._

* * *

_Light_

She doesn't believe in bad people. It's just unfortunate circumstances that drive good people to do horrible things. As a result, she can't help but pity the likes of Team Rocket; it's difficult for her to imagine what could have brought it's members to such a low that they would willingly join the heinous organization.

Her Mother had her when she was very young. It wasn't on purpose; she never tried to get pregnant, it just happened. Her Father did whatever he could to help out, but in the end, any love in the relationship shriveled up and died. She sees him twice a year- on Christmas and her birthday. He showers her with gifts to make up for the fact that he barely knows his own daughter.

She was born in Goldenrod City. Her Mother found it difficult to keep up with the cost of living in such a busy area, especially with the Father of her daughter nowhere to be found. Her job at the local daycare didn't pay nearly enough, but she heard from the elderly owners that they were thinking of selling their vacation home in New Bark Town for dirt-cheap. It wasn't difficult for her to work out a deal with them.

She met Ethan when she was only six years old. He cut her in line for the ice cream man, and accidentally knocked her cone in the dirt when she finally got a hold of it. His Mother dragged him over by the ear and forced him to apologize, though at the time she was crying hysterically and missed most of it as a result. He spent the next few years making fun of her. They eventually bonded over their mutual love of Pokemon and became inseparable as a result.

To be honest, she doesn't view herself as anything remotely close to attractive. She looks younger than she actually is, something people often tell her she should be thankful for. She isn't. She wishes she had the chest and curves other women are lucky enough to have, but instead she's stuck looking like a doe-eyed little girl. The fact that her maturity level is equivalent to one doesn't help matters.

They don't speak with her Mother's side of the family, and her Father's is all but nonexistent. That doesn't mean they're alone, however. Over the years, Professor Elm has become a sort of Father-figure for her and while she doesn't have any siblings, she subconsciously thinks of Ethan as her brother. He's been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. And now that she has Pokemon, they've become a part of her extended family as well.

She never wanted to be a trainer. To be honest, she never really had any legitimate plans for her future. She enjoyed helping Professor Elm around his lab on occasion, but didn't have the mind for all of the intense scientific work he did on a daily basis. It all went way over her head, even after multiple explanations. So when the Professor and Ethan and even that strange man who gave her the Pokedex start ranting and raving about how talented she is, she can't help but think of it all as one elaborate joke. It's only when she looks down at her Cyndaquil and sees it nodding in agreement that she thinks maybe she might have found her calling.

She hates it when her Pokemon get hurt. Always has, always will. The fact that they willingly fight and suffer for her sake doesn't make it any better.

Silver used to be nothing but an arrogant jerk to her, one who corrupted an innocent Pokemon in order to achieve his own selfish desires. When she heard him profess his hatred for Team Rocket, however, she began to understand where he was coming from. She wasn't the only one who wanted to fight back, it seemed. And while she didn't approve of his methods, did she put a bit more effort into getting to know the boy, instead of writing him off as a complete jerk first.

While she may be talented battling-wise, her lack of experience is her Achilles heel. She just does whatever comes natural to her, and while it usually works out well in the end, any master worth their salt could easily run circles around her. It's the bond she has with her Pokemon that makes her such a formidable opponent; they love her to the point that they would do anything to make her happy. If she wants them to win a battle, then they will do everything in their power to ensure that they do.

She put huge amounts of time and effort into keeping her Pokeballs clean and shiny. So when they finally dull and the paint starts to chip away from use, she decides to spiff them up in another way- with stickers. Not only do they help her differentiate which Pokemon is in which ball, they look adorable, in her opinion. Silver thinks they look stupid, of course, and Ethan nearly went into a laughing fit when he saw Gyarados' Pokeball covered in fluorescent pink hearts, but who were they to talk? Men just didn't understand accessorizing like women did. It was a commonly known fact.

While she spends most of her time training her team, and rushing off to distant lands in order to find new adventures, she always comes home to her Mother for the holidays and makes sure to call her at least once a week. They've always been close; her occupation as a trainer isn't going to change that.

Every time she gets a new Gym Badge, her reaction is as enthusiastic as the very first.

She always tries to see the good in people, no matter what they've done or how evil they appear to be. Everyone deserves a chance, after all. And she's never been wrong yet. Some people think she's stupid or naïve for having such an idealistic mindset, but to be honest, she doesn't have a single hateful bone in her body.

Silver still doesn't want to admit that they've become friends at this point. She thinks his stubborn refusals are cute, especially when everyone else can see right through it.

Despite all of the lucky encounters she's had over the years, she never makes any attempts to capture Legendary Pokemon. No human being should be able to control that amount of power. People are flawed creatures. At times, the power of ordinary Pokemon seems to be too great for them to control without abusing it. What would someone like a member of Team Rocket do with so much unmatched strength at their fingertips? She just can't trust herself. They deserve to be free. And besides, the team she already has is more than powerful enough for her tastes.

She's lost count of how many marriage proposals people have sent her at this point. It comes with being a famous trainer who collected a large amount of Gym Badges, swept the Pokemon league two times and disbanded the heinous Team Rocket when they tried to take over the Radio Tower. While she finds them all very flattering, she thinks it's strange that these people want to marry her so badly. They don't even know her, only of her exploits. It's practically the same as just knowing her name.

People take one look at her and nearly always write her off as a naive child who barely understands the workings of the world. It's frustrating, but the looks on their faces when she shows them all the Gym Badges she's earned is good for a laugh.

No matter what they say or what they accuse her of, she cares. She always cares. It's impossible for her not to.


	7. Abandoned

_Abandoned_

Everything was gone. The moment Archer pulled the plug, the cops moved in like scavengers swarming a decaying carcass. He saw dozens of Grunts being cuffed and thrown into cars, but as far as Proton could tell, his fellow Executives managed to escape. It was only by luck that the green-eyed Rocket avoided capture; a female Grunt pulled him into a janitor's closet the moment she noticed the cops swarming the tower. And it was a good thing she did, considering the annoying brat managed to take out his entire team once again, leaving him completely defenseless. He waited in the cramped room with the woman- who seemed to be pressed up against him with a bit more force than necessary for some odd reason- until things cooled down enough for him to slip away undetected into the streets.

Needless to say, Proton wasn't in the best of moods. He fucked up once again, and this time around, the blunder was a bit more major.

The brat actually did it. She single-handedly brought the entire organization to it's knees.

Morale hadn't exactly been high as of late, but the girl's attempts to meddle in their business was what finally broke them in the end. Personally, Proton blamed Archer for the whole fiasco. He was petrified of having history repeat itself, but his reluctance to simply kill the brat was what eventually led to his fears coming true. Having the girl effortlessly stop them at every turn was what finally convinced the blue-haired Executive that there was no saving Team Rocket. As a result, he disbanded the organization for the second time.

And to think the entire thing could have been prevented if he just did the natural thing and killed the kid when she first tried to meddle in their business, back at Slowpoke Well. In that sense, Proton was entirely responsible for the fall of Team Rocket. And he knew it.

He tried to kill her at the Radio Tower. For once, he actually took time out of his day to train his Pokemon in the weeks leading up to the operation, hoping it would make his team strong enough to defeat the little brat. When they finally met for the second time, she swept Proton and the rest of the Executives like it was nothing. By that point, she was simply too powerful for him to contend with in a battle. If he caught her without her Pokemon out, it would have been a different story entirely. But she always seemed to have one of her little monsters by her side, making harming the brat impossible.

And now, as a result of her actions, Proton was alone. Any other person would have done the natural thing and thanked their lucky stars they had managed to avoid capture, but he was dissatisfied. The girl had won, and he hated every minute of it.

It wasn't due to any loyalties to Team Rocket. The moment it disbanded, he kissed that part of his life goodbye. The only reason he joined in the first place was to have a convenient reason to steal things and blow shit up. If it was gone, then so be it. He was more than capable of taking care of himself.

It was the fact that she beat him not once, but twice that made Proton so furious. He hated the thought of such a fragile little girl, one who had been completely terrified of him when they first met, bringing him down like he was a complete pushover or something. He had the rank of Executive for a reason, after all.

Or he did. Thanks to that girl, the title was pretty much useless at that point. He had been abandoned. Without his job, he didn't have anything to do but try to survive in a world that had his face plastered on wanted posters.

All because he was feeling playful enough not to kill some brat when he had the chance.


	8. I Can't

_I Can't_

Typhlosion lets out a deep growl, hackles raised. The air around him is a shimmering haze of heat, distorting the Pokemon's image slightly. He's covered in cuts and bruises, and is clearly having difficulty staying on his feet. The fire on his back burns brightly, however, and a thin trail of smoke is slowly leaking out of the corners of his snarling mouth.

Across from him there is a Dragonite that looks to be in a similar state of fatigue; his scales are dirtied and tarnished, and he seems to be having trouble standing upright. Both Pokemon are clearly exhausted. And it's no wonder; their surroundings are completely demolished. The remnants of an epic battle, no doubt.

After a few more moments of intense glaring, the dragon-type lets out a fatigued groan before collapsing to the ground. Lance returns his partner to his Pokeball, before congratulating Lyra on her victory.

She regards him with dull, tired eyes. She knows she should be happy. She is the new Champion, after all. It's a prestigious title. An honor. Very few trainers have ever been able to accomplish such a feat. But instead of joy, she can't seem to feel anything other than an overwhelming desire to curl up and sleep. While Lance speaks, Typhlosion strolls over to his trainer, winding between her legs and butting his head against her palm for pets. The girl absentmindedly obliges, scratching the fire-type behind the ears and causing him to let out a small, grateful purr.

She follows Lance to the Hall of Fame so he can register her team. Reluctantly, she returns her starter to his Pokeball, and places his into the device along with the rest of her Pokemon. The screen glows brightly, and her team flashes across the monitor. Typhlosion, Gyarados, Ampharos... She regards each and every one with a weary smile. This is her family, after all. She loves them more than she can put into words.

Once the machine is finished, Lyra retrieves her Pokeballs and asks Lance if it's alright for her to go outside and get some fresh air. He obliges, though not without shooting her a quizzical look first.

She walks out into the yard in front of the Indigo Plateau and slumps down heavily against a tree. As an afterthought, she releases Typhlosion from his ball, allowing the fire-type to curl up on her lap. He seems to have much more energy than before; the machine apparently healed his wounds. That doesn't mean he isn't a sucker for attention, however, and he would much rather spend his time curled up on Lyra's lap than exploring his surroundings.

The girl smiles, scratching under her Pokemon's chin and behind his ears. Just where he likes it most. After a few moments, her gaze grows distant, and she stares up at the sky with clouded eyes.

"Is that enough fresh air for you, or are you going to sit out here all day?" The voice snaps Lyra out of her thoughts. She looks over her shoulder to see the dragon master himself staring down at her. She blinks, not entirely sure how to respond. Her expression only turns more quizzical when Lance takes a seat next to the girl.

"Oh, uh... Sorry. I guess I sort of spaced out a bit." Lyra stammers apologetically. Lance shrugs, not saying anything. After a moment or two of silence, he reaches over to give the fire-type a friendly pat on the head, but decides against it when Typhlosion lets out a threatening growl. "Sorry." Lyra says, giving her starter a few comforting pets to calm him down. "He doesn't like it when other people come near me. Or just people that aren't me in general."

Lance lets out a small chuckle at this, watching the Pokemon melt in his trainer's hands with a look of amusement. "I can see that."

There's another stretch of silence after that, but it's a bit more comfortable this time around. The tension has been broken, thankfully.

"I don't think I want to be the Champion." Lyra finally says. "I'm not ready." She takes a hesitant glance at Lance, trying to gauge his reaction. He's surprisingly calm.

"It wouldn't be the first time." He says with a casual shrug. His tone is patient. Kind. Almost brotherly. "Is there any particular reason why, or do you just feel like you can't handle the responsibility?"

"The responsibility may have... Some part in it. But it's not the main reason." She paused, watching Typhlosion let out a yawn. Smoke lazily drifts from the Pokemon's gaping maw. "I just don't feel like this is the end. There's still things I need to do, places to go. I want to see everything there is to see in this world." She tilts her head up, staring at the sky. The sun has just barely started setting, casting out waves of warm colors onto the blue canvas. "If I become the Champion, I feel like that will just be the end. I still want to help people."

Lance listens to her speak patiently, allowing her to say what she needed before he added any commentary. "I suppose I can sympathize with you, wanting to experience the world before you settle down. That being said..." His tone turns a bit more serious. "You don't need to go out of your way to help other people, Lyra. You've already done more than enough. I'm sure defeating Team Rocket once and for all made plenty of people happy."

Lyra shrugs, nibbling on her lower lip. "I know that, but..." She sighs. "I guess I do sort of have a hero-complex. The point is, Lance, I can't be the Champion. I just... I can't."

This time, Lance was the one to shrug. "It's fine. I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to. What kind of person do you take me for?" He shoots her a smile, clapping her gently on the shoulder. "Anyways, you should cheer up! Regardless of whether you're becoming the new Champion or not, this is still a cause for celebration. And," he says, pointing, "I think someone is here to see you."

Lyra follows the direction of his finger, spotting an elderly man making his way in their direction. "P-professor Oak?" She stammers, almost not believing it.

"Go on." Lance says gently. "He's not here for me."

The girl shoots him a grateful smile, before lifting the slumbering fire-type off of her lap and making her way over to the man who gave her a Pokedex and inspired her to go on her journey in the first place.


End file.
